


When the Moon met the Sun

by KeyIsPay



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Dinner Party, Eventually everyone will make an appearance, F/M, Food, Game Night, Gen, Hints of Toph and Aang, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck, Zuko likes to cook
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-23
Updated: 2020-06-23
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:09:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,640
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24882856
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KeyIsPay/pseuds/KeyIsPay
Summary: Zuko and Katara through the ages, time and universe, all about their lives together: whether raising a family, meeting for the first time, falling in love and more. Follow them and GAang through their various adventures.Chapter 1 - In which Zuko and Katara host a dinner party, and Zuko's salad is left forgotten.Or - the one where Zuko melts down over left over salad.Settings will change based on ficlet.
Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar), Sokka/Suki (Avatar)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 14





	When the Moon met the Sun

**Author's Note:**

> I've started rewatching Avatar the Last Airbender for the first time in possibly a decade or over. I've fallen in love with the series all over again, this is my way of exploring what I wish would have become canon - Zutara, while also writing about the GAang in various life situations. 
> 
> I ship Zutara, I've seen there are Zutara week or month prompts of fics that float around, I don't know where to find those, but I'm writing these with whatever muses pop into my head - continuity if a ficlet develops out more will be stated, but for the most part all of these will be stand alone chapters. Settings will change between modern alternative universe, to the Avatar Universe based on the muse, or the day, the mood, the position of the sun. Ya know? 
> 
> This is un-beta'ed, I did try to catch all the mistakes but some things may have slipped. 
> 
> This chapter is titled - Salads and is set in a Modern Alternative Universe

"Katara, should I make a salad?" 

"Hmm?" Katara looked up from her book, from her position on their couch, she could see that Zuko was flustered, there was flour on his apron, and was struggling to adjust the temperature on their stove. 

She called out, "do you need help?" 

"No, I have this covered, this dinner was my idea, I can handle this, I want to know if I should make a welcoming appetizer, such as a fresh salad." 

"If you want to, you're already making homemade pesto with homemade pasta, you made bread, and you're grilling up chicken, I'm sure no one will be disappointed if there's not a salad, Zuko." 

"You forgot to mention the Tiramisu that I made last night, you said I nailed the topping and the flavoring!" Katara arched an eyebrow as he held up his spatula proudly, "you do realize you should be using something like tongs to help stir around the pasta, right?" 

He gave her a sheepish grin before turning back and looking through their drawers for a set of tongs as he searched he asked, "back to my earlier question, salad or no salad?" 

"It's your call Chef." 

"Then I will!" He exclaimed enthusiastically, Katara held back a smile, if he were a superhero his chest would be puffed out. 

"I can make salad while you watch the pasta and grill the chicken, Zuko." 

"No, this is my salad to make!" He pointed his tongs at her, and leaned over the kitchen island, "go get ready, take a shower, blow out your hair, do what women do, but stay out of my kitchen! This is my space, and this dinner and salad will be everything!" 

She held up her hands and her book down their coffee table, "alright, I'm going, but call if you need help." 

His back was turned away from her, "unlikely." 

Katara grabbed her phone from her back pocket: 

**TO:** Sokka, Suki, Aang, Azula, Toph

_Make sure to come hungry, Zuko is making salad, homemade pesto and pasta with garlic bread, and there's tiramisu for dessert._

**Sokka:**

_Chef Zuko has my heart._

**Azula:**

_I'll bring some wine over._

**Toph:**

_No, reply to the text message, reply to the text. Finally._

_Tell Sparky, I'll still be eating before I get there. He knows what I'm referring to._

.

.

.

Azula was the first to arrive, with a case of wine in hand, she walked into their apartment, her eyes critically surveying the space, "I don't like shade of blue you've painted your apartment, it's too _cute_. And the plant needs to be further away from window, the sun will burn the leaves off of it."

"Always good to see you Azula," Zuko's coolly replied. 

Azula set down the wine and walked over to him, "Ah, Zuzu, the man of the hour." She gave him a hug and an air kiss. "It does smell good in here." 

She grabbed a wine glass and took at seat at the bar, "the bottles still need to be chilled, except for the one I'm about to open." 

He rolled his eyes and opened the fridge to get ahead of chilling the wine bottles before everyone else arrived, as he noticed Azula beginning to wrinkle her nose, she always did have a sensitive sense of smell and taste, "what is that awful smell, what do you have in there?" 

He stepped aside to let her peek in, "Oh god, cantaloupe, you know I hate the smell of it, please don't put the wine near it, I don't want my wine to inherit the taste of cantaloupe, preferably, you'll also not put any left overs near it, close the fridge Zuko, you'll stink up the apartment."

He smirked as Azula shuddered and mouthed to herself, _'disgusting_ '. 

"I thought you brought the wine for everyone, since when has it been your wine?" 

"Since I bought it, and in a rare act of kindness and humility am willing to share, and if I'm sharing, I don't need the wine's taste to be soiled." 

"Azula, I thought I heard your voice!" Katara emerged from their bedroom, her hands still busily tying up her hair. 

Azula smiled and patted the bar stool next to her, "Katara, always good to see you. Come sit." 

"Bartender, I demand that you serve my friend here a glass of wine." 

"You do not have the audacity to sit here, snap your fingers and call to me as if I'm your server in my own apartment." 

"Oh but I do dear brother, besides you're hosting, and I know mom and dad taught you proper host manners." Azula cheekily retorted.

"Zuko, I can get i-" Katara was cut off, "No, no, you've had a long week," Azula's voice went down to a whisper, "besides, it's fun to see Zuzu get flustered." 

With a wave of his hand and his back turned, Zuko began to pour Katara's wine glass, and Azula's attention went back to Katara, "Tell me more about your week, our phone call got cut short last night..." 

As their voices trailed off to a previously left off conversation Zuko allowed his mind to wander, dinner was almost ready - he was waiting on the bread to come out of the oven. It was nice, this was nice. Having his and Katara's friends over for a dinner, hell even having his sister over. When he began to date Katara, he never thought Azula would come around to being accepting, or even be willing to get to know his friends. But here she was, early to his dinner, and casually talking to Katara as if they'd been life long friends, rather than Katara being the center point of Azula's wrath - which was how their relationship used to be. 

He was deep in thought, so much so, that he was startled when he felt a hand clap on shoulder, "hey, everything okay in that head of yours, Sparky?" 

He coughed, "Ah yea, sorry Toph." 

"In a show of insubordination, I decided to stop by Ray's and pick up a slice of chocolate cake, I ate it on the way here." 

He felt his face go red, "come again?" 

"I wish I could see your face. I did, and it was delicious but I'm still feeling peckish, so I guess your dinner will have to suffice." 

"I'm sorry Zuko, I couldn't stop her." Aang said sheepishly, as he came behind Toph and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. 

Zuko waved it off, "it's fine, this dinner will be spectacular, spectacular enough that Toph will never eat before coming over again." 

"Somehow, I doubt that," She quipped back. 

He looked around, everyone was here, Suki, Azula and Katara were talking while Sokka was rummaging around the living room looking for...? He wasn't sure, with Sokka at times it was hard to tell, he could assume Sokka was looking for a game, given the amount of wine Azula had brought, it wouldn't be hard to convince everyone of playing a game of drunk Catan. 

He felt an arm drape around his shoulders, he looked to his right and saw Azula's face, on his left was her empty wine glass, her cheeks were slightly red, he knew she would be down for Catan, "I may or may not have had anything to eat today, can we eat soon?" 

Before he could respond to her, she composed herself and held up a wine glass, "Cheers to my brother, Zuzu for having all of us over again tonight," she paused to allow everyone to raise their glasses, "I am delightfully excited about this dinner, on the menu Chef Zuzu has prepared pasta with grilled chicken, bread and tiramisu," 

He poked her shoulder, "and salad." She patted his hand away, "so let's all take our places, fill up our wine glasses and get this dinner party started, I saw that Sokka pulled out Catan, we can all play a rousing round after this delightful dinner." 

Everyone began to move around, he noticed that Suki was refilling her glass along with Sokka's, Aang was ushering Toph towards the table, and Katara was pulling out the plates, he coughed, "Ah..Everyone, yes dinner is ready, Azula forgot to mention that we also have a delightful fresh salad prepared, please grab a salad plate also." 

"You know Zuzu, the delivery of my short speech was better because of the use of alliteration, instead of a ' _delightful fresh salad,_ ' you could have used the word ' _fanciful_ or ' _fantastic'_." 

"Alright Azula, I think you've had enough to drink for now, how's about some water." 

She looked at him indignantly, "nonsense, I feel great." She sauntered off to her seat, she took one last look at him with her nose upturned before sitting down next to Suki. She looked at him and pointed, and he could have sworn that she said to Suki, _"just point and laugh"._ Suki made eye contact with him, raised an eyebrow and with a wink, pointed at him and laughed. He loved his sister, but she was the biggest thorn in his side. 

"Do you need help with anything else?" Katara snuck up behind him, she carrying the bread basket. 

"Is there anything left that needs to be carried?" 

"I think the salad and some dressing, Aang carried the pasta to the table, and Sokka grabbed two bottles of wine." He nodded at her, "thank you for helping." 

Her eyes were bright as she looked at him, "thank you for putting this together." 

He walked towards the fridge, the salad was in the bowl, a perfect caesar salad, he picked that up along with the dressing walked back to the table. He wrinkled his nose, as he saw everyone busily serving themselves portions of pasta and filling their plates with bread. 

He set the salad in the middle of the table, "do you guys have salad plates? Where are your salad plates? Should I grab some salad plates?" 

"Sparky, _chill_ , we can eat the salad once we've finished with our pasta." 

"Yeah...and no offense Zuko, but I don't like it when different food textures mix, then the salad will get soggy, lose it's fresh crunch, and take on the taste of the pesto, which is good but counteracts the freshness of the salad and dressing, ya know, man?" 

"Yes Sokka, I know, I once sat through your first college presentation on food science, and why food shouldn't touch, a presentation by Sokka." 

"Awh, you remembered! I knew we were friends for a reason," he pointed his fork at him, "to this day, I fully believe, I should have gotten an A." 

"No, no, no, I believe the C was rightfully earned." 

"What do you mean it was deserved? I spent day-"

"More like hours," he interjected.

"Researching various types of textures and foods, mixing them with various sauces to scientifically prove my hypothesis." 

"Eating," Zuko clarified.

"You know," Suki interjected, "in the years since I've started dating Sokka, I've never heard that particular story or presentation before." 

Sokka immediately turned his attention from Zuko to his girlfriend, "it all started with carrots and ranch..." 

As everyone listened aptly to Sokka's story and research, as well as his failed attempt to major in food science, he began to notice that everyone was gladly going back for the bread or another helping of the pesto, however the salad remained untouched, he made a show of grabbed himself a generous helping. This attempt failed to gather anyone's attention, aside from a side eye from Katara. 

' _Are you okay?'_ She mouthed. 

He nodded, _'No one's eating the salad.'_

She raised an eyebrow at him, and grabbed the salad bowl and put some on her plate, ' _Is this better?'_

He shook his head, while he was happy that she was supportive and indulgent, it bothered him that no one wanted salad. Salad was meant to be enjoyed at the start of the meal, it's function was to wet the appetite, it was meant to be enjoyed fresh, it was meant to bring people together, and it was meant to be enjoyed and not left behind to wilt and wrinkle in the fridge.

"Guys, before we move onto dess-"

"No dessert yet for me, Sparky, I'm full." Toph patted her stomach for emphasis, a chorus of agreements echoed her sentiments. 

"I was going to ask if anyone wanted some salad." 

Silence. 

"I forgot we had salad, I'll eat some after, my food goes down a bit." He looked at Suki and nodded. 

Salad, the forgotten appetizer. 

Azula chimed in, "I for one, don't think I'll indulge myself in any tonight, I had some for lunch." 

"Does anyone here want any salad?" His tone was terse. 

No one made a move, or nodded, Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose, "this is fine." 

"I don't know buddy, you're kind of reminding me of that meme with the dog in the burning house." 

"Great observation Aang, if you look closely, you can also see a white hair sprouting from his head." Aang leaned into the table, eyes squinting as he tried to see what Azula was pointing too. 

"I don't want this salad to go to waste, I did not take the extra time to make this, only for all of you to shun it's mere presence. It's going to wrinkle in the fridge, it'll get thrown out eventually, and if that happens, I'll never take the time to make salad again, since it's under appreciated." 

Suki always the peacemaker spoke up first, "Zuko, we love the idea of the salad, and on most occasions the salad is wonderful, and we will eat salad...just not right now." 

"Zuzu, the salad will not wilt in the fridge, I'm sure either you or Katara will take it to lunch tomorrow. Now please sit back down, pour me and yourself a glass of wine, and finish your dinner, we want to play Catan." Azula leaned over the table and booped his nose. 

He gave her a stern look, she smiled brightly back at him. 

"Who is done with dinner, I can take up your plates." 

"Katara, sit back down, you've done enough, I can take plates to the sink, Suki and Aang will you two please set up Catan?" 

"Thank you, Sokka." 

Toph fell into step with Aang as he weaved his way to the living room, "this is the one we played last time right, with the raised board and the cards, I can use?" 

"Yes, I think Zuko was able to find it when he went to visit his uncle in Ba Sing Se, a few months ago." 

Katara's hands landed on Zuko's neck, she lightly began to rub his neck, "you do know that you put on a wonderful dinner, we all really did forget because the pesto was delicious. And I'm sure dessert will be just as astounding." 

He looked at her, "you think so?" 

"I know it was, don't be too hard on yourself, don't strive for perfection too much, and I promise, I will take salad in my lunch tomorrow." 

"Thank you." 

She leaned down and pecked him on the lips, "you're welcome." 

"Can you two please stop with the PDA and come over here, we want to get started!" 

"And bring some wine!" 

Ah yes, the peanut gallery. 

"We're coming!" Katara called out as she made her way over. 

"Sparky, when can we have dessert?" 

"Toph, the correct question is, when can we have salad?" 

"Azula, you can get your own wine, if you keep up with that sass!" 

"Fine, you're a poor sport." 

He made his way over to the game, making sure to set a bottle of wine near Azula, and one on the coffee table, he settled between Katara and Sokka, "alright, where are we starting?" 

**Author's Note:**

> This prompt was inspired by my own family, we have this thing about salad, it's weird. Whenever anyone of us makes a salad to go with dinner and no one eats it, it turns into a big deal with threats being made of never making a salad again since no one will eat it, or the salad going bad because if it doesn't get eaten during dinner then it'll be left in the fridge, alone and forgotten. 
> 
> Sidenote, when I write for Azula, I picture her speaking like either Moira Rose or David from Schitt's Creek, I don't know why, but somehow I think it suits her. 
> 
> Before posting this, I did make sure to research and find tools or games for people that are visually impaired, there is a Catan game that does have a raised board with playing cards in braille, it was - designed in Germany, I believe, I don't think it's commercially available, I believe it was a part of a project made by University students, I think there is only one prototype, but please feel free to reach out and let me know if I missed anything, or if this is inaccurate information.   
> There also is a cellphone out on the market - but currently sold out, where visually impaired paired are able to text, receive messages, and make phone calls.


End file.
